Earring pad having a diaphragm for varying the pressure exerted on the ear



June 11, 1957 K. SHILL 2,795,118

EARRING PAD HAVING A DIAPHRAGM FOR VARYING THE PRESSURE EXERTED ON THEEAR Filed Nov. 21, 1955 INVENTOR. KARL SH/L L Y $424M, M9-M A T TORNEYSUnited States Patent- EARRING PAD HAVING A DIAPHRAGM FOR 'VARYIN G THEPRESSURE EXERTED ON THE EAR Karl Shill, Hayward, Calif.

Application November 21, 1955, Serial No. 548,026

5 Claims. (Cl. 63--14) This invention relates to a device-adapted to beattached to the pressure pad of an earring, and has for one of itsobjects the provision of inconspicuous means adapted to easily andreadily be attached to the pressure pad on an earring to promote thecomfort of the wearer and to insure against loss of the earring.

The device of this invention is particularly adapted for use on earringsof the type that have a pressure pad secured on one end of a screw. Thescrew threadedly extends through the end of one arm of a U-shaped memberwhile the end of the other arm is opposed to the pad. This structureresembles a small clamp. When the pressure pad is positioned at one sideof the lobe of the ear and the end of the arm opposed thereto is at theother side of the lobe, the pad will be tightened against the lobe uponrotating the screw carrying the pad.

Earring clamps of the above type very frequently slip off the ear lobeand the earrings are lost or damaged. Also, such clamps areuncomfortable, and with changes in temperatures, the parts of the bodyincluding the ear lobes will expand and contract and may become moist ordry, which adds to the discomfort of the wearer as well as contributingto the insecurity of the earring clamps.

With the present invention, the pressure pad is covered and the lobeengaging side is formed and is supported on the pressure pad so as to beyieldable under the expansion and contraction that follows temperaturechanges, and to be secure on the ear lobe against slippage.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description and in thedrawings.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of an earring with the presentinvention, partly in cross section, secured on the pressure pad.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken through the device of thisinvention on a pressure pad, and before any pressure isapplied to thepad.

Fig. 3 is substantially the same as Fig. 2, except that a light pressureison the device, a portion of the ear lobe being indicated as inengagement with the device.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device (reduced size com- .pared with Fig.2) provided with removable extensions to facilitate securing it on thepressure pad of an earring.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 4.

In detail, the device of this invention comprises an annular element,generally designated 1.

The annular element 1 is formed with a pair of axially outwardly openingrecesses 2, 3, in its opposite sides, and a relatively thick flat sideddiaphragm 4 positioned closer to the outer side of recess 2 than to theouter side of recess 3 provides a common bottom for said recesses.

The recess 2 is on the side of the device that is adapted to engage thelobe 5 of the ear of the wearer (Fig. 3) while recess 3 is to receiveand substantially enclose the adjustable pressure pad 6 of the earring7.

A screw 8 carries pad 6, and said screw threadedly extends throughtheouter end of one arm 9 of a U or C clamp, while the other end 10 ofsaid clamp is opposed to the pad.

, Theusual pressure pad 6 of the earring is formed with a convex surfacefacing theend 10 of the clamp for wearer comfort. However, this resultsin slippage of the pad on the lobe of the car. If the surface isroughened, the pain to the wearer is not endurable.

' In the device lthe recess 3 is an enlargement within the body of thedevice, since the opening 12 is relatively small, being only slightlylarger than the screw 8.. The maximum diameter of recess 3 is aboutequal to the diameter of the circular pressure pad 6 and since the material of the, device 1 is elastic, the sides of the opening- 12 willreadily stretch sufiiciently to enable 'the pressure pad to enter recess3'. w

The depth of recess 3 axially of the device 1 is about equal to themaximum .thickness of the pressure pad.

' From their central engaging points the spacing between the pressurepad and the diaphragm is progressively greater in direction radiallyoutwardly of the pad and diaphragm. This combination is quite important,as will be later described.

The annular-rim 14 around recess 2 is of the same internal diameter asthe maximum internal diameterot' the recess 3. v 3 I In actual practice,when the lobe 5 of the earis posik tioned between the nm 14 andtheend 10of the U-clarnp that is opposed to said rim, and when the screw 8 isrotated to tighten to clamp the lobe between the device 1 and the end10, there will be a yieldable pressure of the outer annular edge of mm14 against the inner side of the lobe 5.

This is because the diaphragm 4 is yieldable axially at its outer edgewhere it connects with the rim 14. As the tightening of the deviceagainst the ear increases, the soft rim 14 will cause a slight annularindentation in the lobe with the result that the portion of the lobewithin the rim 14 will project into recess 2 (Fig. 3). will not slip onthe ear lobe under the abo'veconditions,

even when-the ornaments carried by the earring are relatively heavy andwhen subjected to relatively violent jarring and shaking. v V

The fact that the rim 14 is under yieldable tension (by reason of theconnection with the pressure pad through the diaphragm) avoids thediscomfiture that would otherwise occur in hot weather or when the earlobe is heated, and it also avoids loosening of the earring uponcontraction of the lobe or earring structure in cold weather or uponsuch lowering in' the temperature, while the earring is being worn, aswould otherwise cause the earring to become'loosened; Y

It is apparent that the device that slips over the pres sure pad 'mustbe'small and inconspicuous.

fining the sides of the recess 2 when the device is on the ear lobe.

Because the device itself is small, in actual size being approximatelyone-eighth to three-sixteenths of an inch in outside diameter, it issomewhat ditlicult to manually The device 1 v The draw-f ings somewhatexaggerate the size for clarity. lt is also apparent that there is a"squeegee action ontherim de manipulate in stretching it over thepressure pad and may be easily dropped. To facilitate manuallypositioning said device on the pad, one or more radially projecting.relatively thin strips 15 may be formedfintegrally with the deviceextending from one or from opposite sides of thedevice even with thebase side having the opening 12 formed therein. Obviously,'a row ofdevices 1 may be connected by such strips in the manufacture of thedevices, and the strips thereafter severed midway between adjacent ringsin the row, leaving the projections 15. In any event, the ultimate andpreferred form results in each device having strips 15 projectingoppositely outwardly as seen in Figs. 4, 5. These stripsprovide meansfor bold ing by the fingers of the operator in stretching the sides ofthe opening 12 over the pressure pad, and should the device he dropped,it will not roll away. After the device is on the pressure pad, thestrips are cut oif by a knife or by scissors along lines X--X in Fig. 5.

The material of the device is of relatively soft rubber or of anymaterial having similar characteristics that is impervious to attack byany skin secretions and that is not irritating to the skin.

I claim:

1. An ear lobe engaging member for a pressure pad of an earringcomprising; a relatively soft, elastic element formed with a pair. ofoppositely outwardly opening coaxial recesses in its opposite sides, onerecess of said pair being enlarged radially of the axis of said elementwithin said element for receiving said pressure pad therein and toprovide a radially, inwardly projecting portion adapted to extend oversaid pad for releasably securing said elementto said pad, the sides ofthe recess in the other side of said element providing an axiallydirected circular rim adapted to engage said lobe, and a diaphragmforming a common bottomfor said recesses adapted to be engaged by apressure pad when the latter is within ,said one recess, the insidediameter of said rim being substantially equal to the maximum insidediameter of the enlarged part of said one recess and said diaphragmbeing relatively thin.

2. ,In an earring; a circular pressure pad, a shaft centrally connectedwith one side of said pad and projecting axially therefrom, a relativelysoft, elastic element enclosing said pad and formed with a circularaxially directed rim coaxial with said pad projecting from the ide ofsaid pad opposite to said shaft for engaging the lobe of the ear of thewearer of said earring, the side of said pad opposite to said shaftbeing convex, a relatively thin circular diaphragm within said elementand integral therewith having a fiat side in engagement with said convexside, the diameter of said diaphragm being substantially equal to thediameter of said pad and to the inside diameter of said rim wherebypressure of the axially outwardly facing edges of said rim against saidlobe will cause said diaphragm to yieldably conform to the convexcontour of said convex side of said pressure pad.

3. In an earring; a circular pressure pad, a shaft centrally connectedwith one side of said pad and projecting axiallytherefrom, a relativelysoft, elastic element enclosing said pad and formed with a circularaxially directed rim coaxial with said pad projecting from the side ofsaid pad opposite to said shaft for engaging the lobe of the car ot thewearer of said earring, the side of said pad opposite to said shaftbeing convex, a relatively thin circular diaphragm within said elementand integral therewith having a fiat side in engagement with said convexside, the diameter of said diaphragm being substantially equal to thediameter of said pad and to the inside diameter of said rim wherebypressure of the axially outwardly facing edges of said rim against saidlobe will cause said diaphragm to yieldably conform to the convexcontour of said convex side of said pressure pad, said other recessbeing relatively shallow.

4. A device adapted to be positioned on the pressure pad of an earringcomprising: a relatively soft, elastic, cylindrical element formed witha pair of oppositely outwardly opening recesses in its opposite sides,coaxial with the cylindrical sides of said device, one recess of saidpair being enlarged radially of the axis of said element within thelatter for receiving said pressure pad therein and to provide a radiallyinwardly projecting portion adapted to extend over a side of said padfor releasably securing said element to said pad, the sides of therecess in the other side of said element providing an axially directedcircular rim adapted to engage the lobe of an ear, thin diaphragm withinsaid element forming a common bottom for said recesses adapted to bereadily deformable under the pressure of the pressure pad thereagainstfor conforming to the convex surface contour of a pressure pad havingsuch convex surface contour when said pad is in said one recessseverable means integral with said circular rim projecting radiallyoutwardly therefrom, said severable means being adapted to be graspedbetween the fingers of a hand at points radially outwardly of saidelements to facilitate positioning said element on said pressure pad andbeing relatively thin and readily severable from said element at thecylindrical sides of the latter for removal from said element free fromimpairing the efiiciency of said rim.

5. A device adapted to be positioned on the pressure pad of an earringcomprising: a relatively soft, elastic, cylindrical element formed witha pair of oppositely outwardly opening recesses in its opposite sides,coaxial with the cylindrical sides of said device, one recess of saidpair being enlarged radially of the axis of said element within thelatter for receiving said pressure pad therein and to provide a radiallyinwardly projecting portion adapted to extend over aside of said pad forreleasably securing said element to said pad, the sides of the recess inthe other side of said element providing an axially directed circularrim adapted to engage the lobe of an car, a thin diaphragm within saidelement forming a common bottom for said recesses adapted to be readilydeformable under the pressure of the pressure pad thereagainst forconforming to the convex surface contour of a pressure pad having suchconvex surface contour when said pad is in said one recess a pair ofstrips of the same material as said element and integral therewithprojecting radially outwardly of said element from points at oppositesides of, said device and substantially even with the side of saiddevice in which said one recess is formed, said device being ofrelatively soft material impervious to attack by skin secretions andsaid strips being relatively thin as compared with the axial dimensionof said device and readily severable from said device at each of theopposite sides of the latter from which said strips project.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS667,630 Kratz-Boussac Feb. 5, 1901 FOREIGN PATENTS 644,123 France May26, 1928 429,654 Great Britain June 4, 1935

